


Ashen

by Crowsnight66



Series: Breed [4]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Beauty - Freeform, Breed, Breed Extra, Himuro's Eye, M/M, Romance, Trust, self-consciousness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 18:21:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9001453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowsnight66/pseuds/Crowsnight66
Summary: Murasakibara likes to think that Himuro likes him to some degree. After all, the older male responds to “Muro-chin”, calls him by his first name, and gives him more attention than the other employees.And Murasakibara may be a little smug about that, but he doesn’t let it show.





	

_“Paint yourself a picture of what you wish you look like. Maybe then they just might feel an ounce of your pain. Come into focus. Step out of the shadows. It’s a losing battle. There’s no need to be ashamed._

_“They don’t even know you. All they see is scars. They don’t see the angel living in your heart. Let them find the really you, buried deep within. And let them know with all you’ve got that you are not your skin.”_

_―“Skin” by Sixx A.M._

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

Murasakibara likes to think that Himuro likes him to some degree. After all, the older male responds to “Muro-chin”, calls him by his first name, and gives him more attention than the other employees.

And Murasakibara may be a little smug about that, but he doesn’t let it show.

Today is a very busy day at the bakery, as Thursdays usually are. When things get busy, Himuro often turns the counter over to Fukui and works his charisma with customers, asking about the pastries and what they would like to see changed.

Murasakibara admits that he may linger a few moments too long when he adds more food to the display, especially if Himuro is laughing or smiling.

Today, however, is different.

As for why, Murasakibara doesn’t really know, but suddenly, a girl shrieks.

Near the front of the bakery, a woman shushes the child, obviously a young one, maybe four or five. But she’s crying and clinging to her mother while said mother says, “I’m so sorry―”

“No, it’s alright, ma’am,” Himuro assures with an apologetic smile. “I probably startled her.”

 _Startled her?_ Murasakibara can’t imagine Himuro startling anyone, intentionally or otherwise. And it’s even weirder that Himuro spends the rest of the day in the kitchen.

Later, after the bakery is closed and Himuro is cleaning, the man says, “Atsushi, you don’t need to stay every day and help. I’m sure that there are a lot of things that you’d rather be doing.”

Murasakibara doesn’t look up, continuing to wipe off the tables. “Not really.”

“Alright, but just know that you don’t have to.”

When Murasakibara glances up, Himuro is fixing his hair over his left eye. Again. He’s been doing that all day.

 _Not all day,_ Murasakibara mentally corrects himself. It started after he “scared” that girl.

So once he finishes with the tables, Murasakibara ducks into the kitchen to wash his hands and then stands beside Himuro where the smaller male is locking the cash register.

When Himuro turns to look at him, the giant brings a hand up to brush back Himuro’s hair, but the other slaps the hand away.

“Atsushi…” Himuro smoothes a hand over his fringe again.

After a moment, Murasakibara says, “Muro-chin is scared.”

Himuro glances up at him. “There are some things that I want to keep to myself.”

“Why?”

“Because our society stares at things that are different.” Himuro goes back to fixing his hair.

“But Muro-chin is beautiful,” Murasakibara says, taking Himuro’s small hand in his own to pull it away from his hair. “And I’ll think so no matter what.”

There’s a long pause, and the older male spends it playing with Murasakibara’s gigantic hand. The added attention unnerves him, especially when Himuro moves their hands in a way that shows the size difference.

Himuro quietly says, “My left eye…I’m blind in my left eye.” He forces a small smile. “It’s, uh, pretty freaky to look at, so I keep my hair over it.”

When he tucks his fringe behind his ear, Murasakibara has to keep himself from immediately saying anything. The orb is a milky white, the pupil unnaturally cloudy.

As soon as he can see it, his view is obstructed once again by dark hair falling over it. Himuro turns away and begins to gather his belongings into his bag, finally dropping Murasakibara’s hand.

“Muro-chin is still beautiful.”

After that day, Murasakibara thinks that their relationship changes a little. Now, he thinks Himuro is more relaxed around him, and the dark-haired male smiles a bit more. When he does, Murasakibara can’t help but smile back every time, and he may be a little smug about that, too.

And he lets it show.

_(One year, eight months, and twelve days before Murasakibara Atsushi Bonds.)_


End file.
